The Dimming Light Inside
by Deidara and Gaara fangirl
Summary: Please do NOT ask ; This was made entirely for two friends of mine. It's random crack between all the characters and me messing around with everything. All characters belong to SquareEnix and Disney and lyrics to Utada Hikaru. R&R if possible. Thanks.


The Dimming Light Inside

Chapter 1: The Awakening Inside

Sora's breathing grew heavy, he clenched his chest.

What was this feeling?

This feeling of needing...

This need to run from the light...

The feeling of darkness?

Sora opened his eyes slowly and blinked. Everything was blurry. He tried to sit up but felt as if there was no strength to use. He tried again. Leaning on an elbow he rubbed his eyes with his other hand. His head was spinning. Sight coming back fast he blinked to help it. He looked at his farmilliar room, the strange amount of dust that had gathered on top and in the cracks of all his belongings. He took a breath in again and pushed himself up, he leaned against his headboard and sighed. He coughed. The dust upon the headboard flew around the room, it was irritating to say the least.

He pulled himself over to the window and opened it, it was stiff but openable, he then got comfortable and sat, staring out of the window and trying to remember.

"Riku!! Oh my goodness!"

Sora leant over slightly and smiled, Kairi was down there running over to Riku. Sora laughed.

"Hey Kairi! Riku!" He yelled, feeling alot better now.

He saw them stop in their tracks and his smile faded a little.

They turned and looked up to his window, he smiled again, Kairi gasped as Riku's face remained completely blank.

"So, your feeling better then?" Riku called up, smiling like he always did.

Sora blinked, his clowny expression dropped completely.

What was Riku on about?

"Riku?" Sora asked "Riku, what are you on about? Of course I'm fine!"

Kairi nudged Riku and wispered to him (well it could have been just talking, he couldn't really tell).

"Sora, wait there we're gonna come up and see you." Riku called up to him. Sora nodded.

"Kay, I'll be right here anyway." He called back.

Darkness?

What does it feel like?

An urge to- . . . ?

"What?!"

Sora yelled, completely amazed.

"That's right," Riku said, tossing and catching a tennis ball in his right hand "A whole month you've been out cold."

Kairi nodded "We've been looking after you though, I combed your hair and Riku fed you and sometimes Selphie, Wakka and Tidus would come and help too."

Sora lied back down and sighed "No wonder I felt so awful earlier, I haven't done anyt-" Sora sat back up.

"Hey wait! What happened, like anything happen? The King didn't write did he?"

Riku missed the ball.

Kairi bit her lip as Riku bent to pick the ball up, Sora frowned.

"So he did? Why else would you be so quiet? What did he want then? Was he ok?"

Riku smiled "You were there the last time we went anywhere. . . You seriously can't remember anything then?"

Kairi coughed and before Sora had even had a chance to see her face she'd left the room.

Riku got up.

"Hey, Sora? I'll be right back, I just wanna get her to come back. She's just upset ok?" Riku asked slowly.

Sora gasped and jumped off of the bed.

What on earth was this? Why would she be upset? What did he do?!

"Riku I'm coming too! Let me come, I want to know whats wrong- I mean I want to know if she's alright cos-"

"Sora stop it," Riku interrupted, Sora stopped and stared at him "It'd be better if you stayed here. We'll be back in a few minutes."

Sora went to say something back but Riku smiled, he knew Sora too well.

"No but's Sora, your staying here."

Sora stood for a minute or two before sitting back down on his bed.

'What did I do this time? Maybe it wasn't even me, I might be jumping to conclusions but...' he thought to himself 'Why would she be so upset talking around me? About me even; I wish I could remember what they were talking about, the last time we went anywhere.'

He closed his eyes and tried to remember. Slowly he fell asleep.

Sora opened his eyes.

His breathing was heavy and he felt as if weights were tied to his wrists and ankles.

He could hardly stay upright.

He was thirsty, but for nothing water or liquid could cure.

He was thirsty for something light.

The dark was wrapping around him.

Everything was dark.

What was this urge to- . . . ?

"Sora?!"

Sora blinked and sat up, the light swallowed him. Kairi hugged him tight and sat on the bed next to him. Riku though was not as happy as before.

"Sora you scared us to death just then, enjoy your little sleep?"

Sora stared at him with great dislike at his rudeness.

"Well maybe if you hadn't left me here I wouldn't have gotten so bored!"

Kairi giggled, Sora looked over.

"Sora, Riku!" She laughed "You act like your still little kids!"

Sora grinned "And whats wrong with that? I can be a kid if I want, I'm not an adult yet."

"Yes you are," Riku smiled "Your a young adult."

Sora continued to grin, whatever had upset Kairi and annoyed Riku seemed to be put to the back of his mind. One thing didn't leave his mind though. He kept thinking and thinking and thinking about it. As soon as Kairi left to go home, he decided to ask about it.

"Riku?" He asked, Riku (who'd gone back to throwing and catching the ball) nodded.

"Yeah Sora?"

"Well..." Sora asked, taking his time "What exactly have I forgotten?You said we went somewhere- well where? Did Donald and Goofy come? Was the King there? Was it the Heartless? Did we win?"

Riku sighed "We went to Traverse town to have a party for Leon's birthday, everybody came and you got pissed and passed out."

Riku stood up suddenly, squeezing the ball in his hand. Sora could tell he was lying.

"I'm going now Sora. I'll come see you later."

"See ya then-"

"Sora?" Riku asked standing in the doorway with his back to Sora, "Don't leave the room ok? Don't leave the house, if you have to go out of your room ok?"

Sora was baffled but Riku took his 'huh?' as a yes and left.

'Huh' though can mean many things- yes is one thing that could follow but no was another...

Chapter 2: The Island

As soon as he was dressed the following morning he was beaming again and ready to go out and see everybody he'd missed. He decided to go to the island.

He walked down to the kitchen and blinked.

'Come to think of it," he thought to himself looking around 'I wonder where my parents are. I haven't seen them at all.'

He shrugged it off and took out a box of cereal from the cupboard.

Sora got out the milk and made himself his breakfast, quietly eating it he fell deep into thought.

Forgetting...  
Remembering...

How do you remember what you forget?

How do you forget what you remember?

What is this feeling of hunger for- . . .?

Sora took a deep breath in and stretched, it was good to be on the beach again. The island was empty, it was so warm out and he was in a great mood. He spent most of the day swimming and sitting on the paopu tree Riku often sat on, and where they normally sat.

The day was just about coming to an end and Sora was happily laying on the sand. He was just dozing off when he heard footsteps coming towards him. He opened an eye.

Riku sat down next to him and stared up towards the sky. Sora closed his eyes again.

"So," He said slowly "Why is it you didn't want me here then?"

"You mean you haven't figured it out?"

"No. What is there to figure out? Nothing other than what I've forgotten right?" Sora sighed

"Y'know Riku, I've been having these weird thoughts lately... Like, is any of this for real or not?"

"What sort of thoughts have you been having over than that?" Riku asked, not even looking at him.

"Like," Sora spoke, eyes open, sat up and staring at the sky with Riku. The moon was unusually bright.

"Like what darkness is and remembering things and what light is..."

Riku got up.

"I'll see you tomorrow, stop thinking so hard Sora. It's dangerous."

Sora nodded "Kay Riku, probably for the best. I'm gonna be leaving soon anyway, I'll probably stay in tomorrow so bring Kairi down if you want."

"Sora?"

He'd heard the voice before.

"Sora? Wake up Sora."

It was so farmilliar.

"Sora? Wake up Sora, wake up for real this time!"

Who was it?

Sora woke up again to his room. Everything was exactly as it had been the last two days. The sun was shining brightly, it was warm, and there was no signs of life anywhere, other than him of course.

"That voice..." He mumbled, waking up to so many thoughts "Who was that? They sounded so, so farmilliar.."

Sora stared around his room.

'Wake up for real?'

What did it mean? Did it mean this wasn't really real? How was it fake? Was it really fake?

Sora's eyes widened, it all came together neatly. Nothing changed because it wasn't real, nobody was there because it was fake.

"I see now, it's Roxas's Twilight town all over again." He smiled.

Thank you Roxas.

Sora got up and called out to his Keyblade, there had to be a way out. He left his room and went straight to the island.

"Look Sora. Look the way you should."

Sora stood on the island and looked around. Nothing was out of place. He walked round to the cove, maybe there'd be something there.

Nothing.

Sora walked over to the raft they'd built about 2 years ago. He smiled.

'One day I wonder if we'll acctually use this?' He wondered.

He walked back round before something came into his head. Where would the most magical place in the island be? His body moved instinctively over to the so called 'secret' place on the island.

He bent down at the opening and went inside, he was wrong- or so he thought. He walked to the other end and examined the door.

The door that binds the worlds.

Sora gasped as he felt the door move out of it's place. He pushed it some more and peered inside. His heart skipped a beat, what on earth was this?

Chapter 3: A Heartless, A Nobody And A Battle?

Hearts...

What is a Heart?

Purity and Light?

Lonely and Dark?

The one thing that seperates us from them-

Those without Hearts,

The Heartless...

And

"Nobodies?"

Sora looked over his shoulder in the darkness to see Roxas walking down towards where he was sat.

"Yeah, no offence." Roxas shrugged "Well your kinda my heart so I can't take offence."

Roxas sat down next to Sora, the silence was so strong you could feel it pressing down upon you crushing you slowly.

Sora took a breath in and let it out loudly, Roxas felt the akwardness as well.

"Y'know Sora," Roxas frowned, staring at the lonely light, something like a star, shining above them.

"Y'know why I tried so hard to get you to find this place?"

Sora blinked, staring at Roxas in awe.

"You want to be free again?"

Roxas smiled and shook his head modestly.

"Heavens no, I'm content here right now. I called you here because what they're doing to you... well I never liked it when I found out they'd done it to me."

Sora closed his eyes.

"Yeah, I think I know what you mean, I gotta get out and find out what's happened to me."

Roxas looked away.

"You already know don't you?" He wispered to himself.

Silence over took again.

Sora approched the computer, his grip on the keyblade tightened, and he touched the screens. His body filled with anger, the sort of anger that didn't belong there.

He raised the keyblade and smashed the screens.

He felt so betrayed, tears welled in his eyes.

Riku... Kairi...

It was all lies. They came in through the computer portal and checked up on him. Imprisoned in memories of yesterday, with hopes and dreams frozen inside the vertualized scene. He felt his strength fail as the sadness burst through.

He remembered back to when they really were on the island, they did everything together- what was it he'd forgotten?

Forgotten?

Forgotten...

That's what he was now.

Sora threw himself against a wall and tried to forget it all.

"R-Riku.. Kair-ri..." He stuttered "Why-y?"

Roxas spoke softly, almost as if he were to cry though he didn't.

"It's because of who you've become. If you leave here then I'll leave you- they're scared that your gonna get hurt and I'm not gonna return to you this time."

Sora put a hand over his heart and frowned sadly.

"I know." He sighed "I know. Shall we leave then? Or will you not come back?"

Roxas smiled "Let's leave, both of us together. We're gonna stay that way too, together. Complete. Whole."

Sora dried his eyes and smiled "Ok then, let's go Roxas." He said getting up. Slowly he made his way out of the world he was in and into the real world.

Somebody was waiting on the other side for him though... Somebody who wanted them both, seperate.

Riku slammed the door.

'Where the hell did he go?'

Kairi, who was ahead of him, paused and waited for Riku.

"Hurry up! What if Roxas has woken him up? What if he's there? You said he came close yesterday!"

"I said he was on the beach, not close." Riku growled angrily "I think your right though, you remember the brainwave patterns on the reading thing-"

"His brain scanner?"

"Yeah, that, but I seriously think we're too late. If they get out though... If they join forces it will be just as bad aswell. Think Kairi."

Kairi nodded.

Time to use the power of vertual reality!

They transported themselves to the door and rushed inside.

"SORA!!"

Roxas turned around to face them. Kairi and Riku called their keyblades, ready for battle.

"So, you can't just talk about your problems. Oh come now Riku, no wait, I'd expect as much from you but Kairi! Oh my so you don't want me to help Sora." He smiled "I know you don't want him in here, I know you dont want him to be trapped in here like I was. I know you want him back. Come here Kairi- I want to help him too, so I can help you get Sora back."

Kairi's breathing increased, he was right.

The only thing Kairi wanted more than to get out of here herself was to have Sora back in her arms.

Riku growled.

"Bastard!" He screamed running at Roxas.

ROXAS!

Roxas dodged, still smiling, he called Sora's keyblade and laughed.

"Come and get me then, but I suggest your careful not to hurt Sora- We will get out of here!"

"You sure as hell won't!" Riku yelled, lunging again at Roxas, who, again, dodged with complete ease.

ROXAS?!

Riku tried and tried again to destroy, or atleast hurt Roxas, but he failed time and time again.

When Riku had grown tired enough Roxas turned around once more to face Kairi.

"Well then, would you mind if I took Sora and left? I'm sure you-"

ROXAS!!

"Sora?! What are you getting at?" Roxas asked, temper rising.

"I'm sorry but, why is it that your in control at all here!?" He asked "I wanted to do that to Riku!"

Roxas smiled "Kay, you lead Kairi outside but let me have one more word with her please?"

"Be quick." Sora smiled and waited again.

Roxas smiled one more time to Kairi and took a deep breath.

"Kairi please, close your eyes when we're on the other side- I don't want you to see Sora yet."

Kairi smiled gently back "I've already seen him Roxas, I saw him and you asleep-"

"That's just it Kairi- asleep! We're gonna be awake so leave us alone. Will you promise to close your eyes?"

"Yes, I do. I promise but not for you, for Sora."

Roxas nodded and closed his eyes "I know Kairi, I know."

Sora opened his eyes and took Kairi's hand, smiling kindly. Kairi stared at his face and remembered the one on the other side.

Awake? What would it be like then?

Her eyes began to sting as a tear fell from her eye. She fell into his arms and hugged him. His smile dropped slightly as he heard her cry but he smiled none the less.

"Come on Kairi, don't cry. We'll all be together again."

"I k-know, I'm sorry." She smiled, wiping her eyes. "Come on then, let's go."

Together they left the world, even without Riku.

Someone was waiting though, somebody who wanted Sora and Roxas, both of them in their control...

Chapter 4: The Awakening Outside

Kairi squeeled as hands covered her eyes almost the second she'd entered the room.

"Sora!?" She screamed pulling at the hands on her face, trying desperately to get them off. Her heart was racing, what happened? Who was it? What was going on?!

"Shh, quieten down and close your eyes." Roxas's calm, gentle voice came to her from behind. "You promised to close your eyes so do it."

Kairi let out a deep sigh of relief, thank god it was Roxas. She closed her eyes and put her own hands over his. He removed his quickly, startled slightly.

Roxas slowly strolled over to Sora and stood infront of him.

"Sora, shall we then? It's time to become whole again."

Kairi felt her eyes flicker open and shut quickly. She couldn't help it -she wanted to see Sora so bad.

She'd missed him. His personality. His voice. His smile.

His smile broke through the clouds of rain.

She loved it. She wanted it... but...

Roxas helt his hand out to Sora. Sora took it. Roxas closed his eyes.

Time to return.

He felt the soft wind blow around him, the light begin to engulf him in darkness.

"So," A female voice filled the air, it was cold and yet so calm- untroubled even.

"This," she continued "Is how beautiful a heartless you are, and such a kind Nobody too."

She smiled slyly, a wide and unwelcoming smile, telling them silently that she was boss.

"M-Maleficent?!" Kairi cried turning around with her eyes wide open.

Sora stared at her angrily, listening in though all the same- listening curiously to what she had to offer.

"Ah, Kairi is here also then. Wheres Riku my sweet? Have you abandoned him again? Or is he looking for you again?"

Sora stood straight and smiled "What do you want witch? What are you after?"

Maleficent smiled to him "I want you, you crave the dark right? Well I can give it to you if you want it."

Sora grew even more interested. Roxas panicked. He drew the Keyblade and lunged at her, hoping to destroy her. She dodged just as easily as Roxas had dodged Riku's attacks, maybe even finding it easier.

Sora laughed darkly. Roxas faced him, mouth fallen open in awe.

"Sora?"

Kairi blinked, unbelievingly. Sora really had changed, Roxas too. She felt as if a sharp pain had just run across her heart, breaking it. She wished she'd never been foolish enough to help him leave but they couldn't do it on their own. The software didn't allow it, they would have wound up somewhere else- somewhere with fake people and fake lives. A fairytale. A dream.

"Your the one who's changed Kairi."

Sora... Sora you really are the one who's changed. Memories flooded back. None of them reminded her of this. Not a single one. He was a joker, a practical joker. Funny, kind, thoughtful... carefree.

She felt a hand fall onto her shoulder suddenly and she snapped back into reality. Riku had returned, Sora had vanished and Roxas... Roxas was no where to be seen either.

"Kairi? Where's Sora? Did he not get out?" He asked checking the machinary.

Most of it was broken for some reason.

"That's odd..." Riku mumbled before signalling for Kairi to come over. It was unusual, in a way.

Nothing was in the program and nothing was seen on CCTV. Everything was blank.

Roxas screamed.

"Sora?! Sora, listen to me!"

Sora payed no attention.

"Be quiet, if theres nothing here for us then I'll let you go."

"Sora stop being so dumb! Sora? Sora are you paying attention?"

Roxas screamed.

Chapter 5: Disney Castle

Screaming filled the air as Kairi and Riku stepped out of the grand palace they'd been keeping their secret in. The screaming was painful, from the sound of it.

Painfully farmilliar.

Painfully belonging to-. . . ?

Riku sighed "I think it's time to send the warning."

Kairi blinked "To the king?"

Riku nodded.

"Whilst we're there we can pick up Donald and Goofy, to make our search easier. To be honest, really honest, I'm acctually pretty scared."

"Riku?"

"Just kidding, the goofballs gonna be fine. Roxas will be the only problem if you ask me."

Kairi shook her head "No, I think the only problem will be his urge for darkness, right? He'll try to hurt us if we don't find him soon, that will also be a problem- after all it's Sora we'll be fighting."

Riku stared at her but said nothing. This wasn't Sora anymore! This was something different. Someone different.

"Leave it to who?" Sora smirked.

He didn't know why but that memory came to the surface.

'Sora...' He thought. 'I had to leave it to you that time but this time I promise you that you can leave it to me.'

Kairi looked around quietly as Riku waited in the libary for the King to arrive. He silently gazed over at the table, reports scattered everywhere.

Were the heartless back or was it for emergency?

Looks like it wasn't just them who was busy after all.

"How's it goin' everybody?" A chirpy little cheerful voice cried coming from the doorway. King Mickey stepped into the room, followed but Donald duck and Goofy.

Riku smiled "Sorry for stopping by so suddenly without any warning or such but theres trouble."

"Gosh, like we didn't know that." Mickey replied, rolling his eyes and walking over to the table. He threw one of the reports at Riku. He continued.

"They're at it again. I don't know how but they're at it again. Several worlds have just vanished before this was realized, not a soul had gotten off of them either."

Kairi began to shake, every word... should she say now? Should she have said back in Hollow Bastion?

"We're currently trying to find out who's behind it- if it's a new enemy, organization 13 or if it's-"

"Maleficent?" Kairi interrupted. Mickey nodded.

"Exactly... Is there something you know Kairi?"

Riku looked at her, angry and confused. "Kairi? What happened with Roxas and Sora? You know don't you?!"

Kairi nodded shakily.

"Yes."

"I see." Mickey nodded, this was bad news indeed. "So Maleficent has returned and Sora's gone off after her- thus forcing Roxas, who's trying to stop him, to go running after him."

Kairi nodded "Y-yeah. They were about to become whole again when she kinda stepped out of the darkness."

Sora?

Riku stared out of the window, what was Maleficents plan this time?

Donald and Goofy sat silently in the corner.

Sora.

Mickey stood up. "Then theres only one way to save him- We'll have to find him and make him remember everything and everyone"

Kairi smiled.

'For Sora'

Riku closed his eyes and nodded.

'Sora.'

Donald and Goofy leaped up, enthusiasticly.

"Sora."

"Sora?" Roxas called.

'Where'd that idiot go now?'

"Sora, come back here. Sora?"

Sora came back into the room, grinning cheekily. Roxas smiled back.

"Sora what's so good? Are we leaving?"

"No!" Sora smiled "You're having a gag put on you if you don't shut up! A gag to go with those chains! Ain't that good news?"

Sora came closer and smiled happily "And I have a better plan than that- One for us both."

"Riku?! What do you think your doing?!" Donald yelled angrily as Riku turned around.

"I'm gonna pilot the ship."

"No your not! I'm pilot."

"You let Sora pilot, why don't you trust me?"

"No."

"I'll drive!!" Kairi shouted happily sitting on the seat and turning the gummi ship on. Riku, Donald and Goofy blinked.

"Uh Kairi have you ever driven before?" Donald asked watching her fiddle with the buttons.

"What does this do?!" Kairi asked happily pressing it.

Donald sighed, this was going to be a long ride.

Chapter 6: Hollow Bastion And An Escape

Roxas sulked in the darkness as Sora slept on a bed in the far corner of the dimmly lit room.

He looked left.

He looked right.

Roxas sighed and pulled at his chains, making his way over to his own bed. It wasn't exactly comfortable but it was fine. Weirdly enough his part of the room was almost as comfortable as his one back in Twilight town.

"Hey, Roxas?"

Roxas turned around on his bed to see Sora staring at the ceiling.

"If I were to set you free what would you do?"

Roxas sat up. "What on earth are you on about?"

"Just answer the question Roxas."

"I'd make us whole again."

Sora nodded "OK then, I'll make you a deal- I let you go and you don't join with me. The next time we meet though, you can try to join us together again. Kay?"

"Uh-Well, uh, ok. I guess."

Sora got up and walked over to Roxas. Roxas began breathing heavier when a thought came to mind. He smiled.

"What your doing is very kind y'know. I guess theres some light left in your heart after all."

Sora smirked as he began work on the first of the two chains tied around his other's wrists.

"I guess some of you got through to me."

The two boys smiled in dim light from the glass window, friendly smiles, for eachother- for themselves.

Kairi coughed as she made her way off the ship. Riku laughed nervously.

"My ship... my poor ship..." Donald cried as he stared at the wreckage of the gummi ship.

"Nice crash!" Goofy smiled to Kairi, though he wasn't particually pleased, he wasn't going to be down over such a simple thing.

Kairi nodded "Yeah, I never knew you could cut the engines so fast! Especially at top speed."

Riku sighed "Well we'd better find somebody to fix our ship." He looked around.

"Where are we anyhow? Hollow Bastion?"

"Hollw Bastion, yes." Donald replied "We'd better find Cid, he can fix our ship."

"We could find Leon and Yuffie too." Goofy chimed in.

Kairi smiled "And we could find out where we're going, like where the worlds are then I can take the wh-"

"Back seat?" Riku interrupted "I think I should drive next time, or Donald or Goofy. No offence Kairi but I really don't think you should ever drive again."

Kairi smiled cheekily "Kay."

"Right, so which way do we go? I only know the way to the castle from a few places- this is not one of them either."

"Follow me then- and don't get lost." Donald said, setting off towards the city. the others followed.

Kairi sat in the corner of the room as Donald, Goofy and Riku talked to Cid.

'Sora... Where are you?'

"Hey, what're you doing sitting here alone? The boys are energetic."

"Oh, well, no reason. I was just thinking, that's all." Kairi mumbled, shaking her head.

Yuffie smiled. "Your alot like Sora sometimes. . ." She looked around slowly, still smiling.

"Say, where is Sora? He spent so long looking for you with those two I'd have guessed he'd be travelling with you- oh no wait..." Yuffie covered her mouth. "My gosh, sorry I forgot!"

Kairi nodded "That's ok, we're looking for him anyway. I let him out. I couldn't stand seeing him like that y'know."

Aerith sat down next to Kairi and smiled, she'd brought lemonade with her.

"What are we on about here then? Is it more interesting than the conversation over there?"

Yuffie smiled "Hey Aerith, can I have some of that?" Aerith nodded and poured her a glass, then one for Kairi, then one for herself. Yuffie continued.

"We were talking about Sora."

Aerith nodded, sipping her drink and staying as clam as the tide was back home in the summer.

A summer tide- beautiful, modest and always calm.

Sora was like that sometimes, just like Riku.

Sometimes he was like the sea when the wind picked up- an autumn tide.

Unsure- confused but strong, always trying to continue being calm.

"You'll find him soon- I just know you will." Aerith smiled "Look."

Kairi looked up to see Aerith was poining to the window. She gasped.

"Sora?!" She cried, running out the door. "Sora come back here!!"

Riku ran out after her- she was right.

Sora and Roxas continued to run though.

"Roxas, keep running."

"Sora?"

"Roxas, do it. Keep running untill you get to the rising falls. Then wait for them."

They ran around the corner, ignoring all the screams from Sora's friends. Sora smiled.

"See ya." And with that he fell back into the darkness.

Roxas ran faster, pulling himself towards the rising falls. Just moments away from it he tripped.

"Sora?!" Kairi skidded to a halt next to Roxas. She paused. "Roxas? Roxas where did Sora go? He was with you right? Where'd he go? Is he here? Did he go ahead? Whydidn't you stop? Why didn't he stop?!"

Roxas got up slowly but hit the floor seconds later as Riku hit him.

"Roxas?! What the fu-"

"I don't know where he went! I just got out of whereever we were, he brought me here and told me to go to the rising falls. Well here I am!"

Riku sighed "Let's leave him, he's not gonna be anything but trouble- or we could tie him up and leave him here."

Kairi shook her head "No, he's part of Sora too. We'll need him to help us make Sora whole again."

"Sounds like a bloody pop song that. . ." Riku muttered angrily.

Roxas laughed, nervous and half confused, and followed them back to Merlins house quietly thinking.

'Sora? What are you up to?'

Roxas sat in the corner quietly, trying not to attract any more attention than he already had- and that was all of it. Aerith came over smiling gently "Hi there, there's one more cup of Lemonade left and since your the only one who hasn't had a glass I wondered if you'd like it."

Roxas shook his head "N-No not right now, thank you."

Aerith sat down and put the tray next to her. Her voice was still gentle, almost as if she completely understood everything.

"You shouldn't worry about what everybody's saying about you you know. It's not very smart."

Roxas nodded "It's not what they're thinking it's what Sora's thinking. I can't work him out anymore."

Aerith's smile widened kindly "I see."

"What does it matter? Do you really think he's gonna kill everybody or something?" Yuffie asked with a slight tone of annoyance in her voice. "Your part of Sora right? Well then you do know what he's thinking, you just need to think hard about it."

Kairi shook her head, joining the others. Roxas sighed.

'Damn girls, what am I? Something to stare at? To discuss? Man I wish they'd go away.'

"Roxas isn't like Sora really, he's different. Sora's unpredictable and nobody can replace him. You never know what he'll do next."

"That's probably true acctually..." Yuffie sighed "Oh well, what cha gonna do, you just can't replace him. Too bad your screwed."

"Don't listen to her," Aerith giggled "She's really trying to be nice."

"Could of fooled me." Roxas mumbled.

Kairi blinked "Pardon?"

Roxas shook his head "It was nothing- Oh." Roxas looked up at Riku who was walking over towards them slowly.

"Kairi, Roxas, we're ready to go now. Donald's going to take us to either Atlantica or Wonderland first of all."

Roxas nodded "Ka-"

"Sure thing Riku, but shouldn't we stock up first?" Kairi asked, talking over his words.

'Man,' Roxas thought to himself 'I wish she was Namine right now- then maybe I would be listened to.'

Namine.

Roxas smiled, remembering one little detail- Namine was still with Kairi so maybe he would see her again.

Chapter 7: Atlantica

"I never thought it'd be so wonderful, he's perfect now."

"Agreed, without that last emotion he doesn't seem to care about anything other than Roxas."

"Not even him too much either."

"I still can't believe you haven't punished him for letting that damn Roxas boy get away."

"He will be but a little problem."

"Do you think he took all the feeling of-"

"Yes but no. I believe that he has indeed taken all o the feeling but I believe it might be given to another. Thus they might never be complete unless it is returned also."

"I see, then I'm going to return to my world. You never know what those heartless are up to, or what they've found."

"Indeed."

The fattest of the two figures got up and left through another door, leaving the skinny one alone. She walked towards the doorway and looked to her right side.

"Sora, what is it you want here? Were you waiting for me?" Malificent asked calmly, smiling to the boy.

Sora laughed "Not in a million years woman, not in a million years."

She frowned as he walked off, laughing to himself.

The boy was up to something- but what?

"We can't land there! Are you blind you retarded duck!? It's full of fricken' water!!" Roxas screamed, causing Donald to stop the ship.

"Say that again!"

"We'll fucking drown idiot!!"

"Oh yeah! Well you ever think I can save us? I'm a great wizard."

"So what, you gonna turn us into fishes? I bet your gills will be on your butt or something."

"Fish?" Kairi asked Riku quietly.

"Hey what the hell is this about turning us into fish?" Riku asked. Kairi panicked.

"I'll be naked!!"

Everybody blinked as Kairi squeeled. Riku shook his head.

"Kairi you wouldn't be naked- you'd be a fish."

"A naked fish!"

"Shut up man."

"Woma-"

Riku shoved his hand over her mouth and she shut up. Roxas and Donald continued.

"Ok what the heck can you do then?" Roxas asked slowly.

"We'll be mermaid type people or things." Donald replied.

"I'll be naked and have my bre-" Kairi squeeled before Riku quickly shut her up.

"Too much information Kairi, so please don't say anything else."

Roxas sat back down in a huff "Whatever, just don't come crying to me when we're all drowning."

Kairi blinked "You can cry underwater?" She asked uncertain about the whole consept of crying under water.

And with that they continued headding into Atlantica.

Roxas blinked and blinked again "Ok, so you can stop us from drowning then."

Donald smiled "Told you so."

Roxas, Riku and Kairi, all attempting to swin right, couldn't really believe what'd happened. Suddenly a happy voice rang out towards them from behind.

"Donald, Goofy! How good to see you again! And you brought more people with you, but not Sora."

Ariel smiled brightly towards them, but the smile was quickly fading as she spoke.

"Thank goodness you came back, the Heartless are at it again!"

Everybody nodded "We know."

With that the team split up into two groups: Ariel, Donald and Goofy- the experienced team who set out to find Ursula (whom they believed was behind this again); and Riku, Kairi and Roxas- the new team who set out towards the palace to protect the king of Atlantica- Triton.

"So... " Roxas began slowly, swimming next to Kairi but opposite to Riku, "Any chance of me talking to Namine?"

Kairi shrugged "I dunno really, you'll have to try later- right now we've got a mission."

Roxas nodded "Thanks."

"Hey, you two, pay attention, theres heartless coming fast." Riku smiled "So get ready."

As he other two get ready Roxas too called forth his own two Keyblades, knowing that Sora would not approve of him using his, even if they were the same.

As they fought their way through heartless towards Triton the others fought their way towards Ursula's den.

"Goofy!" Ariel cried giving him a potion to heal him.

"At this rate we'll never get through!" Donald warned them, pushing forwards through the heartless, only destroying them if he needed to. This plan worked for them, and they pushed on faster.

Roxas smiled as he defeated the final heartless that they were fighting.

"Roxas don't look so smug, even Kairi defeated more of them than you." Riku smiled sarcasticly. Kairi blushed.

"Shut up Riku, I did not!"

"Yeah! See Riku she did not."

Kairi slapped Roxas before going back to Riku and smiling happily at Riku's bored face. Roxas blinked.

'Crazy bitch, wait till Sora finds out you've been flirting with Riku.'

But Sora was watching, he himself felt nothing towards the flirting but there was annoyance at the fact- but why? Sora did not know why but it was there.

Malificent frowned as she stared up at the moon, was his heart returning? Had it's strength returned? How had it returned? How much longer would it be before she'd have to call her plan off? Speaking if plans, what was his?

Ariel shook her head "This can't be, she's not here? Where could she be-"

Ariel paused, her mouth fell open to say one word.

"Triton?" Roxas called out as they entered the throne room of the palace.

"Sorry kiddies, he's not here right now." A sly female voice laughed from above them. They all looked up. The lady's fat body slowly sank down towards them, her tentacles smashing them backwards towards a wall. The floor shook as she landed, her huge mouth, froglike, grinning widely.

"Squog." Kairi said blankly, pointing at Ursula the sea witch, everybody stared. "Y'know a cross between a frog and a squid."

Ursula frowned "Say that again then sweetheart and I'll pull that pretty little tounge out of your mouth."

Kairi smiled and opened her mouth, both Roxas and Riku slammed their hands over it.

"No." They said.

"Kairi, less talking more fighting." Riku said slowly to her, Kairi nodded.

The three of them were pretty strong- especially together but just that stopped them from kicking her butt that easily- they wouldn't work together. They were in luck though, just as they prepped themselves for battle against this tough opponent the other group arrived.

"Thunder!!" Donald cried as tons of thunderbolts heeded his command and stroke Ursula from every direction. Roxas smiled.

"Just in time guys!"

Donald frowned, he was reminded just then of Sora; but then again Roxas was a part of him, right? He shook this thought from his head, this was time for battle but he couldn't stop himself from staring at the others faces, wondering if they felt that same way.

Roxas smiled and swam forwards and-

Chapter 8: Nobodies And Farmilliar Feelings

"Hey."

Roxas blinked, his breathing grew heavy and he clenched his chest.

What was this feeling?

This feeling of needing...

This need to run from the darkness...

The feeling of light?

Roxas blinked again.

His breathing was heavy and he felt as if weights were tied to his wrists and ankles.

He could hardly stay upright.

He was thirsty, but for nothing water or liquid could cure.

He was thirsty for something dark.

The light was wrapping around him.

Everything was light.

"SORA?!"

Roxas got up, breathing heavily and sweating. He was hot. Kairi came rushing into the room with a bucket of water and stopped in her tracks.

"Riku, he woke up! You were right." She called from the doorway of a room, obviously in the gummi ship.

Roxas blinked "Wha-What happened to Ursula? Did we win? Did she hurt anybody? Is Atlantica ok? Was Sora there?"

Kairi blinked as Riku stood silently outside the door, un-noticed.

Well..." Sora asked, taking his time "What exactly have I forgotten?You said we went somewhere- well where? Did Donald and Goofy come? Was the King there? Was it the Heartless? Did we win?"

'Just like back then... Just like Sora... Sometimes.' He thought to himself quietly, 'Why is that? They're nothing alike normally. Sora's naive and Roxas is smart. So...'

Kairi spoke softly "We won but only just. You just went forwards and fell, you just blacked out." She said, a tear rollng down her face "We had no idea wat had happened, it was just like that time with Sora- I though, I-I, I thought you were dead!"

Roxas stared at her "Kairi?" He asked gently, pulling her into a hug "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I don't even know what happened."

Kairi smiled "I-It's not your fault. I'm sorry too, I'm making you worry arn't I? Your just like Sora you know? Your just as kind... somehow."

Roxas stared, towards her but not really seeing her. "Somehow..."

Roxas stared at the sky as they flew in the night, not that it had changed but what else was ther to stare at? Riku was at the wheel and everybody else supposively asleep, other than him.

"Emotions?" Roxas asked himself, barely hearing the words he had spoken through his own mouth. "What on earth gave me those?"

"I guess some of you got through to me."

"Sora, I guess some of you got through to me too." He wispered sadly.

"Namine... I miss you." He wispered to himself, sighing at her name and the memory.

"I missed you too Roxas." Namine smiled from the doorway.

Roxas gasped, her reflection catching his eye in the window, and he turned round smiling widely.

"Namine." He said speaking cheerfully again "Namine I've missed you soo much." He said crying as he pulled her into a hug.

Namine smiled "I've missed you too, lots and lots." She wispered, hugging him back.

Roxas smiled and wiped his eyes "I'm sorry, I'm just happy."

Namine nodded "Happy? Roxas we're nobodies we can't feel."

"I know but... I have lately, lots of feelings."

"I guess I need emotions."

"You have Kairi's right?"

"I guess."

Roxas smiled "Then close your eyes and think about them."

Namine smiled "They're nice arn't they. I feel warm."

"I do too, I feel like I need you."

"Me too." She said hugging him closely. Together they watched the stars from the window, completely enjoying every moment.

"What do you want Malificent? Do you never leave me alone?" Sora asked with a very annoyed tone in his voice.

She smiled in reply "I want to send you on your first mission to a place I'm sure you'll remember."

Sora smiled, just what he was waiting for. ""Ok, what do I need to do."

"I want you to open the keyhole of the world, and let the heartless destroy it." She commanded "Do not dissapoint me boy."

Sora laughed sarcasticly, which annoyed her greatly. "I think this'll be fun. Dissapointment really will be dissapointing."

Chapter 9: Wonderland- The First Keyhole And an Encounter With Sora

Kairi screamed as they fell down the rabbit hole as they entered wonderland. They landed with a thud on the floor.

"Gawrsh, I remember the first time we came here. It was just like that." Goofy smiled.

Kairi laughed half-heartedly "Well good for you and your memories, personally I think that that sucked."

Riku shrugged "Wasn't that bad." He grinned as he had landed standing up.

"Uh, Riku?" Roxas said rubbing his head where it had hit the floor "You don't count you didn't land on your head-"

"Butt." Kairi interrupted, with the others nodding alongside.

"Ok.. head or butt so you don't realize how much this hurts."

"Hahaha! Sora, isn't this fun?"

Everybody looked up towards the door, leading to the bizzare room. They rushed inside to see Alice dancing with Sora, heartless clapping along a little beat. Kairi went red.

"Why how dare she!" She hissed, completely jealous that she was not dancing with Sora. Riku scratched his head "That's bizzare."

"Well," Donald said "This is the bizzare room y'know."

Sora spun Alice round and laughed "Hey Alice we have company!"

Alice blushed and stood still. Sora smiled towards the others, however this was not a happy smile at all, it was sly to say the least.The heartless turned to face them all. Roxas frowned "Riku, Kairi, everybody, Sora is mine." He told them, his face showing no amusement at all.

Sora sighed "What do you want to dance?" He asked running up to Kairi before anybody knew what was happening.

The heartless clapped slower and Sora smiled as he danced round with her. Riku went red, though nobody noticed. Roxas stepped forwards and took Alices hand.

"Help me out here." He wispered. She took no difference and suddenly swept him into a dance. He cringed.

Riku sighed "What kind of crazy plan is this?"

Roxas smiled as he came close to Sora, but Alice swept him away.

"Sora," Kairi nervously wispered "Will you come back home with us please?"

Sora laughed kindly "No." He said suddenly having the heartless stop clapping and throwing Kairi against the wall. Roxas lunged at him as Alice stopped and gasped.

Sora dodged with ease, grinning widely. Heartless surrounded the others, blocking them from moving at all.

"Big bodies." Riku attempted to atleast move them but he couldn't, and with the armor on their front in which he was hitting there was no chance that they could get out.

Riku jumped up but saw no chance of him getting over. Before he had even asked Goofy to help him over flying heartless blocked the way. He sighed.

'Well Roxas wanted to fight him right?'

Roxas, meanwhile, was still fighing Sora and loosing. Sora hit him with the keyblade, Roxas took in the pain.

"Hey Roxas, what do you think your trying to do huh? The keyholes open." Sora laughed.

Roxas growled "Yeah, thanks to you!"

"Seal it." Sora hissed quietly, steeping backwards and taking Alices hand.

Roxas gasped as Sora fell back into the darkness with Alice. Kairi mumbled quietly as she got up.

"Sora?" She asked blinking; she screamed suddenly, realizing what'd happened.

"Sora you gay backstabber! You wait till I find you next time, I'm going to kill you!"

Roxas laughed "You go Kairi but I don't think that'll be a good idea."

Kairi blushed and giggled "Yeah, your right. I'll get these heartless while you seal the keyhole kay?"

Roxas nodded happily. He directed the keyblades towards the 'lock' and felt, from the tip of the keyblade and running up towards his fingers, a warm tingle that tickled him delightfully.

Roxas smiled as he heard it lock, he could see why Sora always enjoyed sealing them so much.

Riku gleefully attacked the heartless tht had blocked him in, completely enjoying every moment that he spent whacking them to death with his dark keyblade.

Roxas laughed to himself. 'Sora's friends... I think I can see why he likes them so much.They're weird.'

Kairi stared at him and smiled "Hey shall we get going? We know Sora was here right? So we must be on the right track!"

Roxas and Riku then turned to eachother and nodded.

"Yeah, let's get going." They agreed.

Chapter 10: Conversation Between Heartless And Nobody No. 13

"Sora."

"Roxas.

"What's going on here?"

"What is going on here?"

"You don't know?"

"Do I sound like I do?"

"Hmm, I guess not. Say what happened to Alice? You took her with you."

"Oh, she's with Malificent. So what was it like to seal your first keyhole?"

"It was so cool..."

"I see."

"What? I couldn't hear that."

"It was nothing, honestly don't worry."

"Sora? Why have you been ignoring Kairi?"

"I'm not, I'm still her friend. . . Kinda. What's up with you and Kairi? And Namine!"

"What?!"

"I know she's been flirting with Riku but she's been flirting with you too- and you've been flirting back aswell. You've been really lovey dovey with Namine too. I can see these things you know."

"Have not!"

"The more you deny it the more I believe it's true."

"Yeah we'll your gay for Riku!"

"Whatever."

". . . . . ."

". . . . .?"

"Sora, why have I been feeling things lately?"

"You know why."

"You mean . . .?"

"Yes, because we are-..."

Chapter 11: The Two Twilight Towns

Roxas smiled widely as they approched the next world in their journey.

"Twilight town! Oh my god this is the real twilight town isn't it?"

Kairi blinked "God damn will you shut up? I've got a throbbing headache... wait twilight town?"

"Yeah, with the real Hayner, Olette and Pence."

"I met them!" Kairi squeeled getting up and jumping around with Roxas excitedly.

"Really?! I only met fakes of them but I liked them very much!"

"The reals are very kind and I like them very, very much!"

"I can't wait to meet them!"

"They'll love you, I just know it!"

"I bet your right!"

"I bet your both forgetting our mission." Riku said sourly as he walked into the room.

Roxas and Kairi looked at eachother and how close they were and parted, both blushing.

Riku smiled curiously "What's with all the blushing?"

"NOTHING!!" Kairi and Roxas screamed back at him. Riku laughed.

"If I didn't know better I'd have thought that you two were in love." He chuckled to himslef deviously.

Roxas shook his head "No way!" Kairi blinked and stared at him.

'What?!'

"I love Namine, not Kairi. I'm pretty sure that Sora likes Kairi anyway! I don't want her- I really don't want... her." He finished, a little sad by what he said and unsure if it was true.

Kairi's eyes grew red "Yeah, that makes sense, see Riku? A nobody for a nobody." She said slowly.

'I'm so foolish. I love Sora too but. . . I think. . . I love Roxas too.'

Kairi smiled "Well I really don't like Roxas in that way either! I much rather prefer Sora or you Riku."

Roxas raised an eyebrow "Oh really Kairi?"

Kairi nodded "Yes, absilutely."

Riku sighed "Whatever."

Goofy entered the room they were all in and smiled "We're approching twilight town! Ahyuck!"

Roxas and Kairi blushed and said nothing as they left the room. Goofy smiled "Gee, what's up with them?"

"Like I know." Riku sighed. "Come on then, let's go."

Roxas beamed as they entered twilight town. He knew exactly where he was and set off on his own, not really wanting to stay witht he others and go into his old twilight town.

' "Yeah, Roxas you may aswell go. I mean you probably feel pretty awkwards just being here." Riku nodded as Roxas explained that he was leaving when they'd landed. Roxas nodded.

"That place is a little prison. I'm never going back." Roxas sighed as he walked away from the house, in which he was always reminded of Namine.'

He breathed in the warm air of twilight town, it was so much nicer when it was real, and he stretched out suddenly spotting Olette. He smiled.

Olette...

Roxas smiled "Hey! Olette! Wait up!" He called, jumping down and running over to her.

Everything froze and fell into nothingness.. .

Chapter 12: I need...

"Roxas? Roxas why won't you answer me?"

"Y'know... I need more affection than you know. I can't help it Sora," He wept "I love her! But in order to love her I need some emotions."

Sora blinked and let a tear slide down his cheek.

"I need all the affection than you know- I have lost emotions."

Roxas felt the tear wipe down his face also, he felt like a mirror image. He helt his hand out against the glass betwen him and Sora. Sora copied him, speaking softly as Roxas also talked. Both unable to hear one another.

"We are,"

"Are we,"

"One,"

"One,"

"And forever we will be."

"And will we be forever?"

Chapter 13: Old New Friends- Twilight Town again!

"Hey there, how'd you know my name?" Olette asked "And who are you?"

Roxas grinned Sora's cheesy grin "My name is Roxas and I acctually know quite alot about you, Hayner and Pence."

"For example?" Olette asked, walking with him slowly, completely curious, sure that she'd seen the smiled before.

"Well, I know that where w-you hang out theres a blue sofa that you always sit on. Pence sits with you and Hayner sits like at the front."

Olette smiled "So you do know?"

"Yes, I now that Seifer is the leader of the gang at the Sand Lot. Hayner and you guys are always in a rivalry with them and often Hayner and - Hayner partisipates in the Struggle compitition."

Olette laughed "Hayner and Hayner? You were gonna say somebody elses name weren't you? Who's name was that?"

Roxas laughed embaressedly "Oh a nobody..."

"Ok.." Olette smiled, not realizing and not knowing that a nobody was him.

Roxas smiled "Hey, would I be able to meet Hayner and Pence aswell?"

Olette grinned "Where do you think we're heading?"

"Great then!" Roxas laughed "But first could you help me with something? I want to surprise them with a offering- how about sea salt ice-cream? I'll buy."

Olette nodded "Sure, I'll help you, yeah?"

"Heya Olette, what's that you've got there?" Pence asked curiously as she walked in with the ice-cream.

Hayner wasn't as amused by her lateness but was up for ice-cream. "This what kept you or your way of saying sorry?"

"No, I'm the one who helt her up, and I brought the ice-creams as an apology." Roxas said smiling and entering.

Hayner nodded, taking the remaining two ice-creams and giving one to Pence. "And you are?"

"I'm Roxas." He said putting his fist out. Hayner punched it lightly with his own, curious.

"Hey Roxas, where'd you come from?" Pence asked happily.

Roxas laughed "Nowhere really, I came from the same place as Sora in a way I guess."

"You know Sora?" Olette asked, now sat on the sofa again. Roxas took a seat where he would normally sit and smiled.

"Yeah, I'd say I know him pretty darn well too."

"You look a bit like him." Olette laughed.

Hayner rolled his eyes "Yeah and he dresses a bit like the boy too. Anyway that means you know Kairi too right? So where's she?"

"Oh... she's with Sora's friend Riku-"

"Sora's friend? So he's not yours?" Pence asked.

"Not particually", No. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, she's with Riku, Donald and Goofy at the haunted mansion."

"Oh are you trying to get into that other twilight town place? We took Sora there with the other two." Hayner smiled "Why arn't you with them? You chicken?"

"No, it just has bad memories..." Roxas anwered, his tone becoming dark and unwilling to continue with the conversation.

Hayner laughed "You've never been there so how would you know? Your a bit lame at excuses!"

Roxas stood up, angry as hell "Fucking hell Hayner I spent a very long time in that bloody god awful place while Sora took a fucking nap! And do you want to know something I liked you guys better in there!"

Hayner's face screwed up, equilly as angry "Oh yeah? Well go and see them then- I'm not stopping you!"

Roxas was angry but Hayner was right, what was stopping him? Roxas punched Hayner hard on the arm and left, crying angrily to himself.

Hayner put a hand over the hurt part and looked down apologeticly.

"He's really mad, I didn't mean to get so annoyed I just did..."

"Hayner it's your fault! You kept pushing him." Pence pointed out. Hayner shrugged.

"Hayner you'll have to apologize." Olette said sternly. Hayner nodded.

"Yeah, besides what would I do if he joined Seifers gang? I'd never live that down."

Olette shook her head "And here I thought you were concerned about your reputation."

Pence smiled "Let's go then, like now?"

Roxas walked randomly through the town, avoiding the back way and the sandlot, not really wanting to see anybody, though he had to. He wondered back through the forest and slowly made his way over to the 'haunted' mansion.

"Roxas?! S-"

Roxas stopped and turned around to see nobody was there, he turned and checked that way round too but nothing was anywhere around him. He walked further up ahead but still saw nothing. He had managed to reach the gates of the house before he acctually saw any other form of life. This form of life started simply.

"Huh?"

Roxas bent down and picked up the white peice of paper from the floor below, he turned it over to reveal it wasn't paper at all, it was a photo.

The photo entrigued Roxas because he recognised it completely.

"Me, Hayner, Olette and Pence? This was taken ages ago in my town, so how'd it get all the way out here?"

"Sora was hiding it and it was given to him by Axel."

Roxas turned around and stared arrogantly at Malificent as she approched him.

"What do you want Malificent?" He asked, ready to fight her if need be.

"I wanted to give you an offer, an offer that you might acctually like." She said, showing no emotion towards it herself. Roxas stared at this quietly and nodded.

"What is it then? What's this offer?"

"I will send you to a better version of 'your' twilight town using the technology from both yours and Sora's, so to say, confindements."

Roxas nodded "And what's in it for you? I doubt your just giving it to me for a peanut."

"What I want," Malificent smiled "Is simply to have a reason for Sora to stop being so obnoxious and to start listening to what I want him to do. Your happiness, my happiness and Sora's happiness. Sound good, after all what have you left here? Is this the reality you wanted so badly? The one you thought of? These friends of yours here are very different you know. I can help you achieve what you want."

Roxas nodded "Your right. What is there left for me? Theres nothing."

'Definition/ Description: When all hope and dreams have been shattered. Memories shattered. Burnt in an inferno of realization as to what reality is like. Belief that nothing is left.'

What is left?

Nobody.

Namine.

Chapter 14: A Desperate Cry And Something Long Forgotten

"Roxas? Oh my god what did she do to you?" Sora asked through gritted teeth, staring at Roxas's fast asleep face in the pod. "You can't seriously be happy can you?"

"It is for the best." Malificent told him "It is also what he wanted. He is, so to say, at peace with himself."

Sora said nothing. Nothing- exactly what Malificent knew.

Malificent left, satisfied with what she had done, and leaving Sora with Roxas alone.

"Roxas, can you hear me?" Sora asked gently "I don't know if you can but I still have to say this. We're reuniting with eachother arn't we?"

Roxas said nothing and only moved in the slightest as he breathed in and out, and in and out.

"We're becoming one again, can you feel it? I can, my emotions coming back to me and my memories."

"A far off memory that's like a scattered dream." Roxas wispered. Sora smiled, it was pure coincidence but he still felt like Roxas was awake enough to hear him.

"A scattered dream that's like a far off memory." Sora wispered back "I want to line the peices up- yours and mine."

Sora left the room and looked around, she'd done it on purpose, now Sora couldn't join with Roxas any further. He had only one option now and he really wasn't sure about it..

Something Sora had once found out was during a conversation, loosely based on him, had always made him wonder what or who he was.

'"People who loose their hearts also loose their minds, their feelings. They're consumed by the darkness."

"Right, but that didn't happen to Sora- he held onto his feelings, even as a heartless. Only one other man managed to do that."

"So it's the strength of his heart that intrigues you- the heart chosen by the keyblade."

"What makes his heart shine like that? What sleeps in it's most secret depths?"

"The heart is a mysterious thing, Axel."

"Maybe so, but unlocking it's secrets is the whole reason we, the Organization, exist."

Chapter 15: Puzzle Of Bad News

Kairi, Riku and the others came out of the mansion completely disopointed.

Namine annoyed at Kairi for not letting her draw in her own room but relieved that her drawings were still there.

Kairi anoyed at Namine for replacing her in all the pictures in the room but relieved that Namine wasn't angry at her.

Riku and the others were plainly dissopointed at the fact the machine, ready to take them to the fake twilight town, was missing.

Kairi looked up.

"Hey you guys look, it's Hayner, Olette and Pence."

Indeed it was and everybody, other than Riku, ran up to greet them. Riku was more observent though.

"Hey, what happened to your arm? It's bruised badly."

Hayner covered his arm with his hand again "Nothing much, some crazy boy hit me. He said he knew you."

Kairi looked down sadly "Roxas? Where did he go then?"

Olette shook her head sadly.

"We don't know." Pence sighed "We've been looking all over but theres no sign of him. This was the last direction we saw him go in."

Riku looked at Kairi and rcieved a nod. "He's gone looking for Diz- Ansem's computerized twilight town. But it's not there anymore." He said casually.

Kairi suddenly choked on the air.

"Riku! This is terrible think!" She cried out in panic. Riku looked at her, but luckily somebody else got it.

"Sora's pod?" Donald asked. Kairi nodded and Riku's face dropped in a panic of his own.

"My god, no." Riku shook his head "He can't leave here without us."

Goofy nodded "So somebody musta' helped him."

Riku nodded "Right, this means two people- Sora or Malificent."

Hayner stared at them. "Mind telling us whats going on?"

Kairi shook her head "We're in a hurry now, sorry! We'll explain when we're back, promise!"

Olette smiled "Say goodbye to Roxas for me!" Hayner nudged her and Pence laughed.

"Bye guys.

Chapter 16: Close To My Heartless

Sora stuck to the shadows of hollow bastion as he snuck over to the castle. He didn't want to be noticed if it was possible. It took him less than 5 minutes to get there undetected, hardly a record.

He walked around the maze of rooms, remembering what was left of the last time he was here- and the first. Finally he found what he wanted, the place where he had woken up. He felt his eyes sting, maybe he should sleep too? Join Roxas in his world? Forget about Kairi and Riku whilst replaying the memories over and over again? Yes, that would be the way to go- painfully and alone. Sora shook his head, what on earth was he on about?

The plan was what he ment- it had all gone wrong. It wasn't really his fault, he tried to push Roxas out of the way, now it would be impossible to make it all work out right.

Sora's eyes fell upon the sky outside and he frowned.

"Kairi, Riku, Donald, Goofy... If you can see the sky where you are I just wish you could her this." He said, getting quieter, fading into a desperate wisper.

"I'm sorry. I really never ment for this to happen. So I'm sorry."

When they had finally made their way back to hollow bastion they stared at the castle. It's broken frame and derelict surroundings made them frown. Was it still there? Was it gone? Was he there? All questions that will be answered as soon as they entered the place.

Kairi looked at it, her lip quivering and her eyes sore. Riku also felt also.

Part of them was gone, part of them that could never be replaced. An empty void that they couldn't fill with anything else- what he was was so hard to replace it was practicly impossible. Only one thing could fill the void that was Sora even as much as half was Roxas- the other half.

Donald and Goofy stared at eachother nervously, for even they felt the cold sweeping over them.

The void was so strong it was unmissable. However Donald and Goofy smiled.

"Aww, come on you two. We believe we'll find Sora and he smiled through his journey to find you two and found you both!" Donald smiled.

Goofy nodded happily "And I bet if you guys smile and believe too then we'll find them easily."

Riku nodded and smiled "Your right, Sora will come back to us himself. I bet Roxas is with him right now, right Kairi?"

"Uh- well, I guess." She nodded, Riku looked at her.

"Kairi can't you at least smile?"

Kairi shook her head "Not right now, I don't want to smile. Not until he's with us again. Not untill I know we're all safe."

Donald shook his head "No, no, no, no, NO. Come on now, be fair! He didn't know if you were safe and he still smiled."

"That's right Kairi- smile. I know Roxas is safe, Sora too."

Kairi nodded

"Namine?" She wispered quietly. "Thank you."

Kairi smiled a little smile and nodded again "For Sora's sake, and Roxas's."

Riku grinned "That's right, and we can go get him back now. Ready?"

Goofy nodded "Yup, lets get goin'!"

Chapter 17: Simple And Clean

Sora sat at the window, half asleep, and felt the wind blowing through his spikey hair. His eyes staring at the sky though he wasn't really looking at it. He was too deep in thought.

'Kairi... Riku... Roxas...'

'Sora?'

'Roxas?!'

'. . . . .'

'Roxas?'

Sora sighed, that was the same thing he heard just moments before, the only response he got from Roxas at all.

"Roxas what are you playing at? I know your not asleep right, you can hear me."

He sighed, he knew he was right and the equiptment behind him was so tempting to use. He could escape, just like Roxas- even be with Roxas. He could recreate Kairi, Riku, Donald, Goofy and everybody he'd met. He and Roxas could go everywhere they could now. They could do anything.

"I-I could go home, in there. I would be home again."

He walked upto the beam again and stared at it sadly. They'd only find his body- the one thing this machine couldn't do that Diz's could for Roxas. Sora entered a few codes, it was pretty simple to enter.

He put his hand out infront of him and almost touched it before he pulled it back again, unsure. He readied himself.

"Kairi, Riku, Roxas... I'm sorry. I-I guess I can only keep you as friends in my heart now." He cried to himself as he put his hand out once again. He moved forwards, the beams light engulfing him, sheilding him once more from everybody and everything.

He fell through the light by himself, pushing the memories away. He created three things from the memories.

Kairi, Riku and a lock, a keyhole. Leading to the centre of his world. Sealing them out.

He closed his eyes, with each tear another memory he pushed away untill the fake reality seemed completely real.

His world was real, his light existed, and so did his darkness.

Roxas stared as twilight town felt away, breaking away to reveal nothing but light around him. He stared around as something began to piece together, something he vaguely knew.

"Roxas!" Sora smiled, running to him and grinning. Roxas blinked as Riku joined them, followed by Kairi. All of them, even Roxas seemed younger again. He looked at Sora and looked at himself again.

"Where are we?"

Sora laughed "Man, Roxas, your an idiot. I swear your dumber than me!"

Riku laughed and hit Sora lightly on the head "Yeah right, well come on. We've got a raft to build, right? To find Kairi's home."

Roxas stared at them, completely confused. Kairi laughed.

"Your just like Sora sometimes Roxas, you live in your own little dreamland. Ok, Riku will go get me two logs... Sora you can get me some rope and some cloth... Roxas you can go and get me some food and drink yeah? How about two coconuts, three fish, three mushrooms... one seagull egg and some water? Yeah?"

Roxas nodded "Ok then?" And watched everybody seperate to get everything. He walked straight to the secret place.

He looked at the door for less than a minute before he opened it with ease. He looked inside.

"Sora?"

Sora didn't move, he stared at the memories unfolding infront of him in the dark room. His memories emmitting the only light. Roxas closed the door and moved closer.

"Sora? How on earth are you here?"

Sora's head moved down (in thought Roxas supposed) before he looked round at Roxas.

"How are you here more like? This is my world, constructed of memories and thoughts. I guess I imagined you here for some reason."

Roxas shook his head, feeling his normal age as he sat next to Sora again. He looked at his face properly. It was tearstained and obviously sad.

"I guess it's becuase I'm a part of you here- not awake but here." He said gently, pointing to Sora's heart in the style many people had before.

"Roxas-" Sora stared but he shook his head and didn't finish.

Roxas got up.

"Sora, I'm going back to my twilight town now." He said unemotionally. Sora smiled.

"Kay, I'll see you soon."

Chapter 18: My Sanctuary

Kairi peeked round the door of the room before she walked in.

"Bummer, I could have sworn I saw him in here from outside." She sighed as she kicked the wall opposite the machines. Riku shook his head.

"Maybe he is here, check the machines." He said leading by example and begining the check of one himself.

Kairi nodded and walked over to the machine the closest to the beam. She began the simple check up but she couldn't help being drawn repeatedly back to the beam. She stared at everybody else. They were all busy trying to hack back into or plainly check every part of the system. She shuffled to the side again and looked at them all carefully. Sidestepping again Kari touched the beam silently.

Kairi was forced to close her eyes as she was cocooned in a sphere of bright light. A great wind blew around her and she felt herself fall, the sensation was somehow beautiful even though it was frightening at first. The next thing she knew she had landed.

The gentle sound of the sea welcomed her as she opened her eyes to a dazzling summers day on the beach. The island to be exact. She looked around her in awe, this wasn't what Riku and the king had created to contain Sora, it was more... real.

The sky was was the most dazzling blue and you couldn't stare at the sun for too long either, though it burnt her eyes for just a few minutes anyway. You could hear the sound of people playing, people whose voices sounded so farmilliar to her but to whom she couldn't quite make out.

"Hey, Kairi!"

Kairi turned around to see Selphie running towards her as Wakka and Tidus played ball in the background. Kairi smiled.

"Heya Selphie!..." Suddenly she remembered where she was again- and that nobody was created in the 'world' either. She even noticed how young everybody looked again, after all Selphie hadn't worn that yellow dress in about a year.

"What's with all the pink Kairi?" Selphie asked happily before grinning "Wow, and when did you get so tall?! I only saw you this morni-"

"Sora?!"

Both the girls turned around to see Sora, just steps away from them both. He was so young again, his old clothes on him again- the red ones. And the one talking to him... it was-

"Kairi?" Sora asked the other red headded girl, who Kairi realized did look exactly like she did before. "If your Kairi then who's she? She looks just like you Kairi, if your Kairi, though I'm sure your Kairi... but then again..."

The younger 'Kairi' giggled as she walked over. "Sora stop talking in circles, of course I'm Kairi. I guess she must be knew, anyway she's older than us right? She might even be older than Riku."

Kairi shook her head "Wh-What on earth? Where am I?"

Sora grinned "This is Destiny Island. Welcome!"

Kairi nodded "Kay, is there an older boy here?"

Selphie shook her head "Only Riku."

Kairi nodded "Kay..."

Sora laughed again "Maybe one will just turn up like you?"

The younger Kairi smiled "Maybe Sora but your ment to be finding me stuff... Like that other boy... weird I could have sworn there was another boy but I can't remember who now. Anyway Sora your ment to find me-"

"Rope and some cloth right? Yeah, yeah, I know Kairi, I know." Sora sighed "I'm on it."

Little Kairi nodded "See you guys later then, I've got work to do."

Selphie sighed "I wonder what they're up to. Those guys, as in Sora, Kairi and Riku, are always together doing things. I wish I knew what it was."

Kairi nodded "Yeah... " and noticed Sora had left. She looked up at the treehouse and smiled.

'I guess I'll help him out this time.'

Sora was busy when Kairi found him climbing back down to the beach again. She smiled at him, glad to see he smiled back.

"So, your building a raft aren't you? You and Riku... and Kairi. Your going to find her home."

Sora nodded "She tell you that? Or did Riku?"

Kairi shook her head "No, nobody told me, I just knew."

Sora looked at her and shook his head "I was gonna ask how but you probably just saw it, didn't you."

Kairi nodded "I guess you could say that."

"I guess you could? Then it's true, you didn't see it did you?" He asked excitedly. Kairi smiled.

"I did see it, just not in the way you probably think."

There was a moment of complete silence before Sora laughed happily, voice still excited and full of hope and a sense of fun.

"Hey I've got an idea. Would you like to come with us maybe? To find Kairi's home?"

Kairi laughed "I've already gone through that journey Sora, funnily enough... I know what will happen... maybe. I don't know."

Sora cut her a look of confusion, wondering what she ment but he smiled all the same.

"I think I get you, kinda. Hey," He said, looking at her and laughing "I feel like we're friends already, and you know my name but I don't acctually know yours."

Kairi looked down and shook her head "You wouldn't believe it if I told you."

Sora shook his head "Yes I would! I promise! And just so you know I always keep my promises! I promise you that too!"

Kairi smiled "Then I'll tell you, it's a name you already know."

Sora nodded "Hmmm, is it Selphie?"

Kairi shook her head. "No, think closer to your heart."

Sora blushed "What?! What are you suggesting there?!"

Kairi laughed "I'm Kairi, it's nice to meet you."

Sora nodded, not saying a word. She couldn't help but realize just how cute he was when he blushed.

Sora gasped "Kairi, your crying!"

Kairi looked up and put her hands to her eyes. "Oh my, I am! I was just thinking, I mean..."

Sora smiled "Your also slightly red, were you thinking about this boy your looking for?"

Kairi nodded "Y-yeah."

Sora nodded "I guess you like him alot then?"

Kairi nodded "I think I do y'know. I love him."

Sora pointed over to the tree where Riku was sitting. "That boy's named Riku, he's my rival and that tree he's sat on has a fruit called the paopu fruit. You should take one and share it with this boy."

Kairi smiled "Yeah, I think I will."

"Do you even know what it does?"

"Yes, it creates a bond between the two and you can always find one another. You share it with the one you love."

Sora sighed "Is there anything you don't know about us? Geez you sound like a stalker."

Kairi stayed with Sora for the rest of the day, listening to tales of what she had done in the past, even hearing about the day she first arrived. She felt like she was really understanding Sora, but she missed him even more. She wondered where he was, and sometimes if this was all that was left of him.

The sun set that day on Sora and Kairi said their final goodbyes on the island.

"You should take a paopu fruit, I'm serious!" He called as he rowed off, finally assured by her that she could make her way off the island by herself- and that she wouldn't steal the raft.

Kairi looked around the entire island herself twise when he'd gone. Hoping to find Sora or atleast Roxas but she found neither of them untill she decided to check

"The secret place..." She mumbled bending down and walking into find the drawings. She walked over to the ones she and Sora drew. She smiled brightly.

"Did he draw that? A paopu fruit? I wonder if it's there back home, I wish I'd checked." She sighed. She looked at the door. The final stop. The only 'way out'. Hopefully leading to Sora.

Chapter 19: Missing You and Only You

Kairi's mouth fell open happily into a huge smile as she saw Sora sat in the middle of the extremely dark room. Memories unfolding infront of him. She sat down next to him silently and watched with him the memories of his childhood and all he'd been through.

"You see this?" He asked randomly, pointing to Demyx who was fighting him of the huge screen. "This was really hard. He always said he couldn't fight... he was wrong you know. He and Axel... They were powerful, but I don't think they really wanted to be fighting, like Roxas."

Kairi looked at him curiously, a little confused but curious all the same.

"What do you mean Sora?" She asked quitely, letting the panic overwhelm her slowly. "Sora what exactly is it that's wrong?! What the hell is all that outside?! What are you doing back in here and where the hell is Roxas?! Sora why won't you talk to me properly?!"

Sora looked at her for a minute, completely dazzled at how much she talked. Kairi bit her lip.

'Maybe this was why?'

He looked away from her, she felt for sure that she'd upset him and now he'd lock her out for good. Suddenly she looked up.

"Well to be seriously honest I guess I haven't been talking to you properly because you've been talking to much." He laughed. Kairi blinked.

"S-Sora? Why did you throw me against a wall in wonderland?" She asked quietly. The laughing stopped, this time he really was upset. He turned away from her, she suddenly felt as if she was looking at him from a distance- as if he'd gotten further away somehow.

"I-I'm sorry Kairi, did I hurt you?"

Kairi felt her mouth dry up "Well no, not really. I mean... just a little."

Sora shook his head, his voice crackling as if he were crying as he spoke. "I'm sorry Kairi, I didn't mean to. I just wanted Roxas to do something. I-I didn't know what to do."

Kairi shook her head "I didn't mean to upset you... I should have known better. You're a . . ."

She cut off.

"Kairi? Find Roxas. If you find me Roxas then I'll come back. If you can't I'm staying here." He turned to her and smiled. She was right he had been crying. He walked over to her and helped her up. He lent inwards and kissed her gently on the cheek. She blushed and closed her eyes. She felt his warmth and-

Chapter 20- 'The Heartless Castle'

"Kairi!?"

Kairi moaned quietly.

"Kairi? Are you alright? What happened?"

Kairi opened her eyes to see Riku sat next to her. She sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"Kairi, hello! I'm talking to you. What happened?"

Kairi blinked "I found Sora and I spoke with him."

Riku's eyes widened "Where?"

"I'm not saying where Riku, that has nothing to do with you. However," She smiled "I know that he's safe and knows where Roxas is."

Riku nodded "Kay, lead the way then." He said as he got up and turned to the others.

"You guys, come on.We're changing the plan."

Back on the gummi ship the usual 'I'm going to fly' arguement was completely forgotten. Riku sat down quietly in the corner, reading the ansem reports he'd swiped from the kings desk. Donald took the controls quietly and flew them happily. Goofy sat on the seat at the front, next to the pilots seat. Donalds usual seat unoccupied.

Kairi sat alone next to the exit and decided to do some thinking.

'Namine?'

'Kairi?'

'Oh good, your here. Namine do you like Roxas?'

'Why?'

'Well? Do you?'

'Yes, I suppose so.'

'Good. I like Sora so I guess we'll all be together then.'

'Whatever.'

'Namine, I get the feeling you don't want to talk to me.'

'I don't.'

'Why not?!'

'I just don't.'

'Liar!! Your still pised off with me for not letting youdraw in twilight town arn't you? Man you are so easy to annoy, I hate it.'

'Really? That's funny because I hate that too.'

'How?! I'm talking about you you moron!'

'And I was talking about you. You see how easily annoyed you were just then?'

'. . . Yeah.'

'Well then, now if you please I'd like to be left alone.'

Kairi sighed, how long had that killed? 5, 10 minutes maybe? She looked towards the ladder leading up into the cockpit and contemplated maybe going up and checking on things. She decided not to, she just wasnt in the mood to be around them.

'Sora, I hope I can help you.'

"You will Kairi! Why on earth shouldn't I count on you and Riku?"

Kairi smiled "Your right Sora, your right."

"Is he now?"

Kairi looked up to see Riku smiling down at her from the cockpit's entrance. She smiled.

"Course he is!"

"Well we'll be landing in a few minutes, don't leave untill we're all down there kay?"

"Kay."

Kairi raised an eyebrow as she looked into the background, behind the 'heartless castle'.

"Why did we fly for like 20 minutes when hollow bastion looks like it's 10 minutes away?"

Riku blinked "What do you mean Kairi? I don't see hollw bastion anywhere."

"Are you blind Riku?!" Kairi hissed angrily.

"No! You must be Kairi, or hallucinating. Hey have you got a fever? Maybe that's how you 'saw Sora'?"

"I'm not fucking sick Riku!! Look, right there! Hollow fucking Bastion!!"

Donald blinked "Hey, didn't it's name change back to Radient Garden?"

Goofy nodded "Yup, I'm sure it did, when Sora sealed the last keyhole there, uh-yup."

Kairi screamed "I don't care what it's name was! Why didn't we just walk?!"

Riku sighed "Man Kairi you really must be sick, I see nothing."

"Riku can you see my hand here?" Kairi asked holding her fist up. Riku laughed.

"Yeah, I'm not blind Kairi."

"Really?" She asked pulling her arm back and sending it flying at Riku's face. Riku squeeled and helt his chin, exactly where she'd hit him.

"Kairi what was that for?! Man you are fucking ill, in the head that is!"

Kairi sighed "Ok, ok! Holl-"

"Radient Garden." Donald interrupted.

Kairi nodded "Fine, fine. Radient garden is not there then. I imagined it all and I'm so sorry for hitting you Riku." She said sarcasticly, though it wasn't clear if the others noticed the sarcasm.

Riku sighed and stepped forwards, towards the giant doors of the dilapidated castle. As he opened the doors for everybody a sudden wind blew all around them, freexing them inside. Their entire being filling with darkness on that spot. It was truely terrifying. Every bittersweet memory of Sora they held within themselves burst through them, filling their thoughts with him and what they missed. As Kairi felt herself begin to slip she heard a voice calling to her from somewhere around her. With it it brought the light.

"Kairi! Kairi don't be sad, you have to stay happy! Remember this is what we're saving!"

Kairi blinked and took in a deep breath "Riku?!"

She looked around her to see everybody, each battling inside themselves. To stay sane would drive you insane.

Kairi looked at the doors, she couldn't wait. Her eyes filled with tears as she ran through the doors of the castle. She left everything behind and everyone.

'If I become what Sora has become then I will stay with him forever, however if I can save him he can be with me forever. I can't give up not, I can't.'

She felt her breath grow heavy, she could hardly breath as she cried and ran at the same time.

'Namine and Roxas said as long as me and Sora were together they could always be together too. This isn't even for me or Sora either, this is for all of us. I can't give up!'

"I CAN'T GIVE UP!!"

Chapter 21: Neverending Determination

Malificent turned angrily waiting and pacing up and down next to Roxas who was fast aseep. She looked out the window once again and frowned even more.

'One of the brat's have dissapeared. They must be inside...'

Panicking slightly she called forth her strongest heartless to stand bothsides of the doors. She called forth the darkness and sheilded off Roxas, there was no way the brat would get him. He was too big a part of her plan... for now.

Kairi began walking as she gasped for air, just getting her breathing back to normal. She wasn't going to dry anymore, she'd decided, she was going to fight for what she wanted back and for Sora. She looked around again, surprised that she hadn't run into a single heartless yet. She looked around again, there was nothing- or was there? She squinted as she looked again, trying to make out the figures ahead. She smiled- heartless!

Where there was heartless, when the rest of the castle was empty, it ment Roxas was probably there. She called her weapon and began sneeking up on them.

She hit the first one and all the attention from the heartless settled on her. She smiled and dodge a swipe from the opposition and hit the same one as earlier again.

Riku smiled as he watched Maleficent turn away from the window, standing up straight he laughed. "Nice plan you two, she's completely spooked! Let's go get her before she realizes what's going on."

They quickly took once last glance up at Maleficent's window and they legged it into the castle at their top speeds. Once inside they smiled as heartless greeted them, just what they wanted! A fight.

Kairi giggled as she dodged them again.

"I thought you guys would be hard! I guess dance classes pay off, huh? Haha!"

She struck an awesome final blow to the second heartless that was now destroyed, but through her smiling and determined face she was completely exhausted. Could she keep this up for much longer?!

As she battled her way through she began to understand how Sora must have felt after he'd saved her, now it was her turn to feel that way.

She waited a few minutes and smiled as the others caught up with her. They burst into the room with an anxious determination. They smiled.

"This is as far as it goes Malificent! Everybody goes happy from now on in this tale- that is for us and everybody good."

"Yeah, she's right, we're here and on behalf of Sora we're gonna kick your sorry boney butt."

Malificicent simply smiled. "Is that correct Riku? Or maybe your here to seek revenge on Sora? You could be the hero of this tale, you could have saved Kairi- you could have been all powerful!"

Riku looked up at her then shook his head "Stop it with your mind games- I am a hero. We all are here- Donald, Goofy, Kairi, Sora, me- even Roxas. As long as I have them I know Sora was completely correct, my heart is the strongest weapon of them all. And I will never die- My heart will live on!"

Goofy and Donald nodded "And we know that to be a true hero you need a strong heart."

Malificent laughed "And I learned that your all weak without him. He is the key to your power."

Kairi bit her lip, that statement was kinda right.

"I'm the key that binds everything together, man why don't they just chop me up into every key in existance?"

Goofy grinned "Sora!"

Sora smiled as he stood in the doorway, beming to them all. "Malificent, I suggest you realize that that little time I spent around the machine was not a petty thing- I've been restoring myself slowly the whole time. It's time to return what is mine."

Kairi squeeled "S-Sora! I thought you sent us to get him! You were so sad! You were so depressed!"

Sora laughed nervosly "Umm... yeah I just wanted a kiss from you acctually."

There was a silence before everybody burst out at him together.

"You just wanted to kiss me! You bast-"

"You kissed Kairi! No way! You bast-"

"You go Sora, your quite the young Romeo!"

"Way to Go, uh-yup! Congratulations!"

Sora continued laughing and rubbed his head "Yeah, sorry Kairi, I was upset but I really wanted to see you."

Riku blushed angrily "Sora if I wasn't trying to save you right now I'd probably be trying to kill you."

Malificent laughed, and with that they all remembered she even was there and noticed the alarming amount of heartless she'd called around them.

"You should remember what your suppost to be doing."

Sora smiled "And you should remember how easy it was to kick your butt! Riku, Kairi- the heartless are yours. Donald, Goofy- your with me. We get Malificent!"

"Oh so me and Kairi get the boring job huh?" Riku asked playfully "Well I guess you'll just have to wait untill we're done-"

Riku sighed as he noticed Sora and the others running through the heartless at Malificent, Sora screaming excitedly.

"Man I don't even get to finish the joke. What an idiot."

Kairi laughed as she hacked through two heartless at the same time. "Aww, he's just the same as I remember... a completely excited moron. Our hero."

Riku sighed as he began hacking the heartless, barely moving a muscle. "Man if that's our hero then god help us all."

"Riku!" Kairi cried in alarm "Have faith."

"Joking, joking. Lighten up Kairi."

She giggled "Your just jealous cos Sora kissed me instead of you."

"Absilutely."

"Huh?" Riku laughed as Kairi thought for a moment about what she'd said, but Riku was joking alot lately so she let it go...

Sora smiled as he distracted Malificent whilst Goofy and Donald attacked her weakspot. He laughed.

"Man you are one lame witch, you can't even hit me with your 'amazing magic'. Man it's so bori- oooh look you missed again." Sora beamed cheekily towards her and giggled playfully.

"Why don't you try again?"

Sora laughed as he whistled to Goofy who took his place so he could land a few shots on her. His carefully aimed magic was perfectly combined with Donalds. All was going well untill...

Malificent flew behind her barrier, and grabbed Roxas, carefully making sure he wouldn't wake up. "Come and get me now, of course with that you risk destroying the rest of Sora."

Sora gasped "No way!"

Riku ran up with Kairi, both angry.

"How are we going to get her to let go of him?" Riku asked, sighing gently.

"Well..." Goofy began "I could try to cut the wiring with my sheild?"

Donald smiled "And I could stop everything for a small time- my magic is the strongest!"

Sora nodded. "Then Kairi, Riku and I will distract her? Great plan."

Sora took Riku's hands and lifted Kairi up as a 'chair' in the same way school children do. They ran at her screaming and made her turn Goofy took his chance.

"Stop!!" Donald yelled and Malificent did. Goofy aimed and threw the sheild. It snapped the wires.

Sora felt his heart beat harder in his chest as he saw Roxas begin to fall as the spell wore off slowly. He didn't know what to do, his whole body froze.

Chapter 22: Missing Perspective

Roxas opened his eyes to the dark waters around him. Sora was so close and yet so far away. He felt his body fill with water. He couldn't breath, what had just happened? Where was Hayner? Pence? Ollete?

'Wake up!'

Roxas gasped for air as he opened his eyes to see a stone ceiling and to feel he was on top of something. Riku underneath him. Roxas suddenly looked in the opposite direction as he heard Sora's laugh.

"Haha! Nice catch Riku, seriously."

Riku got up, obviously embarressed as he let Roxas fall onto the floor. It didn't hurt it was such a short distance away.

"S-Sora? Kairi? Riku? Everybody? Your all here!" He gasped as he came to grips with what was going on. Malifient growled.

"How could this be? You annoying fools, you will all perish here."

Roxas got up, he was a little shakey but fine.

"Team up!" Sora cried, running to Riku's side. They both smiled at one another, they were ready for this.

Roxas jumped as a hand settled on his shoulder.

"Hey," Kairi smiled "You kay with me as your partner?"

Roxas blushed "S-Sure. Namine, Kairi, both of you?"

"Both of us, right." She smiled "Now 'look sharp', thats what you told Sora to do so do it yourself. Oh and stop blushing, Sora and I are an item... I think."

Roxas smiled "Then I'm blushing at my girl arn't I? You and Sora, me and Namine. Hey I can't help it if theres four of us and only two hearts. Sharing, what a drag huh?"

Kairi laughed, Roxas smiled. "Your just as funny as Sora sometimes, let's acctually help now? They're all already fighting."

Roxas smiled as he took Kairi's hand and lead her into battle. Though they only took on the heartless she summoned it was a long job and it was painful if you didn't destroy them fast enough. Roxas could feel Sora's excitement and felt it flow through him too. The thrill of a boss challange and playing with friends. He smiled broudly as he felt weirdly enthusiastic about it all. It was as if he himself was reawkening and everything was in some sense of recrudscence- breaking out afresh or into renewed activity; revival or reappearence in active existance. He laughed as he defeated the lst of the heartless, rushing past everybody to join Sora in the final blow. He took both Sora and Riku's keyblades and nodded a thanks to them.

"My final act, yeah?" He laughed as he ran up towards Malificent. The last time he fought somebody like this, with two keyblades, it was against Axel.

He took his shot, thus defeating Malifient and all fell quiet.

"No! How could you? I will rise again and I will conquer you all. I will win." She cried as she turned around and limped towards the door. Sora grabbed his keyblade, followed by Rik and they blocked her way.

"Your not escaping again Malificent. This time, we're going to finish you off good." Riku smirked as Sora nodded.

"That's right! We're going to make sure we demolish you for good."

Kairi laughed "READY!"

Before Malificent knew what was happening Donald set Goofy's sheild on fire and Goofy threw it, with expert skill, at Malificent. She burned to the ground.

Riku picked up her cloak and stared at it. "We'd better destroy this too. Anybody willing to do that somehow?"

Sora grinned cheekily "Me and Roxas, I know just where to take it. You have to take Kairi back home, I'll come back when I'm finished."

Roxas stared at Sora, perplexed by what he said. "We're doing what, where?"

Sora laughed "See you Kairi, oh!" He calmly strode up to her and smiled before he bent down and kissed her gently on the cheek.

She blinked, flustered but glad none-the-less. "Come home safely, I'll be waiting."

Sora smiled and pulled Roxas along with him as he waved. Wispering to himself he said:

"If I were only sure I was coming home."

Chapter 23: Kingdom Hearts- Doorway To Light, Doorway To Dark, Doorway To My Heart

Sora and Roxas walked down, further, through the castle and they found themselves facing the door to darkness. Roxas stared at Sora with the uttermost curiousity.

"Sora, what are we doing here?"

He smiled sadly "Roxas, we're getting rid of the last of the darkness in this world. Other than that left in the hearts of the people, there will be nothing."

Roxas' gaze fell from him to the floor. His entire entity, his entire being was Sora.

Arise within you.

Within you I awaken.

Sleep without you.

I cannot be without you.

Substance- self, soul, spirit, character, essance... What was a nobody? Was it the opposite of that?

Nothingness, nonexistance, nullity.

Was a heartless the same? What was he and Sora? Sora was lucky, whatever they were he had emotions. What was he himself? Unemotional , emotionless and detached while Sora was there, warm-hearted and compassionate.

The day the door reopened was no longer far off, it was indeed very near. It was almost close enough to taste. Just a bit longer and it will be upon us.

Sora walked up unimpressioned by the door and opened it. He threw the cloak in. He closed the door.

Roxas blinked. "Was that it? My god, that was easy... what are we gonna do now?"

"Well, I was thinking about not going home and hitting a burger joint or a hotdog cart; Roxas what do you think we're gonna do?"

"I was thinking of going home and seeing Namine, in other words- I wanna go back. I don't see why I should be... What's that light?"

Sora smiled in awe "The door to light."

"The door to light?"

"The door to light, got it memorized?"

Sora and Roxas turned around. Roxas's face grew into complete extacy.

"Axel?! Axel I thought you were-"

"I was," He smiled calmly walsing over to Roxas "But when your light entered my darkness I couldn't help but come back."

"Axel, be serious!"

"Ok, ok! I never really faded back into darkness. I just found myself... nowhere." He shrugged. Roxas and Sora both grinned.

"It's good to have you... back." Roxas stared at Sora just as Sora stared at Roxas.

"You know Axel?" Roxas asked. Sora nodded enthusiasticly.

"Yeah, he saved me big time."

"Yeah, and you owe me. I'll take this as payment." He frowned, pulling Roxas over to his side. Roxas blushed as Sora laughed.

"Um, I dunno if that'd be a good idea." Sora nervously chuckled. Axel laughed.

"Well I do. Look I just don't want to loose him again, the way I did last time, got it memorized? I want to stay with him forever."

There was an akward silence.

"Axel you make that sound so wrong." Sora blurted out, red in the face with embaressment. Axel blinked.

"How's that?"

There was an akward silence again.

"Can we just move away from who I belong to?" Roxas asked quietly. Sora and Axel gave him evils.

"No." They said together, with no emotion put in to their voices... though for Axel it was pretty normal. Roxas grouned as he listened to the two boys go on about who he belonged to. He sighed loudly.

"Axel why don't you just admit it already? You had a plan- to turn Sora into a heartless. It backfired and you went into a limbo type thing between our kind of life and death when you realized I was here and you found a way to see me. You missed me like hell didn't you?"

"Hmpt, Roxas you are so smart, how will I compete?" He asked playfully before his face turned serious. "Yes, I did miss you. I spent so long trying to find you and make you remember, all because I did miss you. You wanted to know who'd miss you Roxas? I would and I did. So come on, do your best friend a favor and come back with me... please?"

"Hmm, well..." Sora began, rolling his eyes around the room with a grin on his face. "I guess we could work something out."

Axel smiled "Thank you Sora, that means alot."

"Riku do you think maybe he tricked us and he's not coming home? He's taking so long..." Kairi mumbled as Riku put his arm around her.

"No, he's coming home. I just know he's on his way back. Look."

Kairi looked up and smiled as she saw something falling from the sky, like a falling star towards the sea.

"He's home now."

Sora plumetted under and swam up towards the surface. He waved to Kairi and swam back over to them.

"Sorry I took so long, I got held up." He laughed "I'm back, again."

Kairi smiled and nodded "Your home, again."

Riku grinned "And now we can go back to normal?"

Sora made a 'thinking' face."Hmm... us, normal? I think that's a no Riku."

All three of them laughed and they lived happily ever after untill... 3 second later.

"Sora! Where's Roxas? Namine say's he's not here! Sora what did you do?" Kairi blurted out in panic. Sora rubbed his head.

"Well... you see, I kinda let him live his own life. With Axel."

Riku nodded. "Makes sense, I mean he is a bit gay Roxas, right?"

Kairi and Sora stared at Riku, giving him evils.

"Ok, ok, he's not... I'm sorry."

The random ending... Or is it?


End file.
